featured book

featured book

Mad Men: the Illustrated World

Format

Price

$15.00

Paperback

ISBN 9780399536571

96 Pages

6 Oct 2010

Perigee Books

18 and up

Overview

As swingin’ as the 1960s-an officially licensed tie-in to the wildly popular hit television series Mad Men

By turns fun, sophisticated, and celebratory, this is an eye-popping and inventive companion to the hit show Mad Men, as well as a salute to the era of cocktails and Camelot. Inspired by the artistic styles that defined 1960s advertising, Dyna Moe creates a candy-colored record of the time, exploring such topics as:

Praise

“Fans pining over the end of the AMC series’ spectacular fourth season can be consoled with this funny, spot-on cartoon guide to Don Draper’s world.” -Miami Herald

“Playful and slightly irreverent, this official companion to the series would be welcomed by anybody mad about Mad Men.” -Austin Chronicle

“Great for the coffee table.” -abcnews.com

“If you Mad Menned yourself (and if you don’t know what we mean, then you didn’t), you’ll recognize the gorgeous illustrations by Dyna Moe, now turned into a book celebrating all things Draper & Co. Perfect to ease your withdrawal symptoms now that the season is over.” -nbcnews.com

“Know someone who’s already counting down the days until the next season of Mad Men? Keep him preoccupied with this interactive coffee table book, which is filled with little-known facts about the show, artwork from advertising’s heyday, and (our favorite part) ingredients for making the perfect Manhattan.” -Kaboodle.com

“[A] hilarious and beautifully illustrated book that gives you a view of the ’60s as seen through the eyes of the characters of Mad Men. If you’re at all a fan of the show or even just a fan of the look of the show, this book is waiting for you. We can’t recommend it enough. It’ll get you through those cold, dark months before the start of Season 5.” -Tom&Lorenzo

“Dyna Moe, the artist behind the Mad Men Yourself game on AMC’s Website, takes you inside the world of the show with a guide to the cocktails, fads and culture of the era, all lavishly illustrated. Liver disease and misogyny never looked so fun!” -Television Without Pity

“Apart from having all the seasons on DVD, I can’t think of anything a devoted Mad Men fan might want more than the new “Mad Men: The Illustrated World” book by the artist and comedian Dyna Moe.” -NewsObserver.com

“A tongue-in-cheek guide to the 1960’s… an illustrated collection of stories, featuring hilarious “tips” for navigating oneself through the times. Since we’ve had it here in the Parlour apartment, we’ve also had to stop it from magically disappearing into visitor’s bags.” -Parlour

Q&A

How did you start creating the Mad Men illustrations?

Rich Sommer, who plays “Harry Crane,” and I were both members of the comedy community centered around the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York. Once the first season of Mad Men started airing, I got back in touch to tell him how much I enjoyed the show and we emailed back and forth for a little bit—me asking nitpicky insider questions and him graciously answering them (there’s a lot of downtime on a set, I guess).

He asked me to help him come up with a Christmas card idea he could send to his fellow cast members that year and I suggested nicking the look of advertising cartoons of the time and drawing the 1960 Sterling Cooper Christmas Party. From there… everything else.

Have you been a fan of the show from the beginning?

I started watching it about three or four episodes into the first season. I don’t have cable, so I rely on the largess of neighbors and the bounty of the internet.

Are you a fan of this time period?

I am a fan of mid-century design and not so much a fan of institutionalized misogyny and racism… so 50/50.

Who is your favorite character to illustrate?

The elusive Dale. He appears nowhere in this book.

How did you decide which scenes to feature in the book?

Since the concept of the book is focused on background information on historical and cultural topics relevant to the Mad Men era (1960 – 1964ish), the topics covered dictated what the illustrations would be.

What does the cast think of your illustrations?

The cast members I’ve met or with whom I’ve emailed are enthusiastic—violently enthusiastic in some cases. If any other actor hates the way I draw them, he or she is well mannered enough to stew in silence.

What’s some of your favorite features from the new book?

I think people will enjoy the themed menus of period recipes, unless they actually try to cook the food. These recipes are better in theory.

What’s next for Dyna Moe?

I’m focusing back on comedy and filmmaking. A series of shorts I made with my colleague Mitch Magee will be airing on HBO as a part of the second season of Funny or Die Presents.